A Rose That Bleeds
by Sariasprincy
Summary: Day after day, Sasuke has told Sakura to leave him alone and to stop annoying her. Finally she does what he asks, but at a price that was much to high for the both of them. The only thing left connecting them is one rose. One-sided Sasusaku


**Revised on: June 13, 2010**

Hey everyone, this is one of my most reviewed stories so I decided to update it by re-editing it and cleaning it up. Thanks for (re)reading!

**A Rose that Bleeds**

The reflection that was shown back to Sakura was one that she didn't recognize with her tear-stained cheeks, red from the over-stressed blood vessels, and pink, puffy eyes from all her crying, but she just couldn't stop herself. The mental pain of being pushed away by the only one she loved hurt so much and she just couldn't keep the tears a bay anymore.

Why is Sasuke so mean? Why wouldn't he just take the rose she had offered him and at least act like he cared until her back was turned?

But the blank look on his face as he denied her gift made her feel so empty and lonely that she just couldn't bare to look at him anymore, which was why she ran home crying, fully intending to skip class for the rest of the day. It was too late for her to go back to the academy anyway. Sakura knew class had ended about an hour ago. Ino had knocked on her door earlier, wondering if she was home and she only listened to the calls of her friend as she slid the blade across her wrist again.

It wasn't until now that Sakura's vision began to change from blood loss. The bathtub was full of pink water from the blood that had dripped into it, but Sakura didn't care as she tilted her head back against the wall and closed her eyes against the dizziness and her reflection.

Her life was about to end and she knew it, but for whatever reason she just couldn't find it within herself to care or get help. The only thing she wanted to do at the moment was the see Sasuke's face one last time. She wanted him to see all the pain he had ever caused her, but if she didn't leave now, she would be too late.

Sluggishly Sakura pushed herself off the wall and made for the door, catching sight of the rose she had tried to give Sasuke earlier. She hesitated a moment before she grabbed it and left her house, heading in the direction of the Uchiha compound. Her legs were weak and unstable – they felt like Jell-O – but she kept pushing herself to move despite the fact she could feel blood slowly running down her wrists.

Even though Sakura passed through one of the busiest streets in Konoha she remained ignorant of friends and familiar faces as she continued in her trek towards the remaining Uchiha's house, knowing that even though it was taking a while, it was the fastest way to get there. She would know. Long ago she had memorized the roads.

Blood dribbled down her wrist and flowed over and through the stem of the rose as she finally reached her destination. Her breath came in shaking and weak as she reached up and knocked twice with the hand not holding the rose.

It was a long moment before anyone answered. "Who the hell is it?"

Slowly Sakura opened her mouth, but the words weren't coming out. They were stuck in her throat and though she struggled to find the syllables to create her name, they came out in a quiet croak.

"I asked who it was," Sasuke said, rudely. A little desperately, Sakura could only wait for him to open the door.

When the bolt slid out of place and Sasuke opened the door, all she could see were Sasuke's annoyed, narrowed eyes. "What do you want, Sakura?" he asked coldly.

She gave up trying to use her voice and simply held the rose out to him in the hopes that maybe this time he would take the delicate flower. This only annoyed Sasuke further and angrily he slammed the door shut. She only knocked again and waited.

"Sakura, go home. I don't want you near me again."

Taking a deep breath, she managed to find her voice. "I just wanted to give you…this rose."

"I don't need a rose," he spat from behind the door.

"Please Sasuke," she tried again. "I promise…you'll never see me…again…" she forced the words.

The door opened slowly and only enough for him to step out halfway before he plucked the rose harshly from her grasp. "There. Are you happy? I took the rose now-." Sasuke stopped abruptly when he felt the blood and looked down in shock.

At the same moment, Sakura's world spun and she fell backwards, but Sasuke managed to catch her with his quick reflexes. "What happened? What's wrong?" he asked almost franticly.

"I want to ask you a question," Sakura whispered. She tried to brush the hair out of his face, but her body was too weak and her hand dropped uselessly back into her lap. "If a rose is the symbol for love why does it die…?"

Sasuke grabbed her wrist almost harshly and looked at her wrist. "Sakura…what did you do?"

Sasuke saw her eyes close and he looked around. "Help! Someone help! Get a medic!" His eyes turned back down to the konoichi, "Sakura, why…?"

Her eyes cracked open and looked up at him. "I didn't want to be your fan-girl anymore…but I couldn't help myself."

"Sakura, stay with me."

"You never answered my question."

He looked at her confused and then realized what she was talking about. "I don't know Sakura, I don't know." Sasuke was holding Sakura close now. She was dying and he didn't know what to do.

Suddenly, everything came together in his mind and he stood up and rushed to the hospital. His feet pounded hard against the cement and when he finally pushed through the hospital doors, his shirt was stained in blood.

Medics immediately approached him, but when they finally got Sakura down onto the stretcher, it was too late. One of the nurses looked at him and shook her head weakly, telling him it was useless. For a moment, Sasuke could only stare at her before he turned his gaze down onto Sakura's lifeless body, realizing all of his efforts had been wasted.

He didn't even get to say good-bye.

* * *

**Three years later...**

Sasuke sat in front of a gravestone. This was the third year after Sakura's death and the rose she had given him rested in his hand. He looked down at it as tears brimmed in his eyes. "You want to know what the answer to your question is, Sakura?" He gripped the rose tighter. "Love never dies…just as this rose never has."

The sky was dark as clouds passed over, threatening to spill rain at any moment, but he didn't care. He stayed out and watched the stone in front of him with a weak heart.

No one knew why the rose survived. It was logically impossible that a rose could last three years and still be able to bloom, but here it was, still living and breathing as if Sakura's soul had taken over it.

Though what frightened him to most was every single time he put the rose in water, the clear liquid turned red. He was half-tempted to throw it out, but he wasn't sure if he had the heart to do it. He had never accepted anything from Sakura in the past and it would be rude to get rid of the last gift she had given him

Suddenly, the sky rumbled and the rain finally fell, drenching Sasuke within minutes, but he didn't move. Instead, he turned his gaze down to the rose and watched as the water that dripped off the stem turned red.

In the back of his mind, he got the feeling the rose was bleeding, like Sakura's heart had.


End file.
